Oyster-trimming machine.



Patented May 6, |902.

E. D. JOHNSTN.

OYSTER TRIMMING MACHINE.

(Application led June 10, 1901.)

(No Model.)

ATTQRNEYS m: mums PETERS co. Priora-Lamo, msmNG'rcN, n. c4

A new and useful Improvements in Means for UNITED STATES` PATENTOEE-ICE.

EDWARD DUDLEY JOHNSTON, OE NEW YORK, N. Y.v

OYSTERfTR-I'MMING MACHINE.

sPEcIEIcATIoN forming 'part of Lett'rs Patent N. 699,182, aatealvray 6,1902.

Appunti@ nea :tune io, 1to1.'

To @ZZ whom, ima/y concern: 5

Beit known that I, EDWARD DUDLEY JOHN# STON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of New York, county of New York and State ofNewYork, haveinvented certain Preparing Bivalves for Opening, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanyingdrawings, forming a part thereof, in which similarcharacters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to means for-preparing bivalves for opening;audits main object is to provide means for removing a portion of theshell of an oyster, clam, or similar bivalve preparatory to opening'thesame. In preparing such bivalves for opening I first cut oif aV portionof each shell and then clear. away the portion so cut o before thebivalve so prepared is carried forward to be opened; and in carryingoutmy invention vI make use of a mechanism by means of whichibivalves arefed by a traveling carrier to a cutter or saw which Ysaws off a` portionof each shell, and thisvp'ortion so sawed off is separated fromY themajor portion ot' the bivalve or oyster by a clearingdevice or stripperand de-v posited at one side of the machine, while the bivalve so cutiscarried forward by the trav# eling belt or conveyer and may then beoperated uponrto open-the same.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side eleva# tion ofva'machine forpreparing bivalves for opening Vin accordance withiny inventionf- Fig. 2is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of thesaw'and the clearing device, the section being taken in vline o: 0c,Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail illustratl ing in perspective theconstruction of the conveyer.

In carrying out my invention I mount the various operating parts onasuitable frame, such as A, the main members of whichare abase 2, sidepieces 3` andlfwhich may be X-Shaped, as shown in the drawings, o r anyother suitable form, and a table 5 over which the bivalves are caused totravel by a suitable conveyer.

The operatin g parts may be actuated in any desired manner; but in thiscase I prefer to actuate them by foot-power through a treadle,

such as t, pivoted on the base 2 and operating serial No. 63,949. (Nomodel.)

a crank-shaft G, journaled in bearings in the side frames 3 and 4. Thisshaft may, however, be operated by a belt (not shown) passing around aband-wheel 8, which may be used when power is accessible. The shaft hasthereon in this case two gears, one of which is a small pinion 10 andmeshes with a large gear l2, secured to a shaft 13, journaled insuitable bearings, one in the Side frame 4: and the other in a hanger15,. while the other gear-wheel is a larger gear or sprocket wheel Thisshaft has ing device, in order that the two rows of bivalves may bepassed through the machine and prepared rapidly; but it is obvious thatmy invention could also be embodied ina single machine. y Y l The saws sand s' project a` suitable distance above the table 5 and the bivalvesare brought adjacent thereto by a pair of conveyers or belts, such asBand B', which will preferably be constructedv as shown. These conveyersarev operated from the shaft '13 'by means of sprocket-wheels, one ofwhich is seen in Fig. 1 at 25, and pass over guide-sprockets orsprocket-pinions, such as 26 and 27, disposed in pairs at opposite endsof the table 5, these sprocketpinions being mounted inbearings onbrackets 28 and 28', detachable from the table 5.

The conveyors B and B' will usually be roller-chains having side links30, connected and spaced by rollers 3l, which roll on the table 5 andbetween guide rails or plates 5, and each carrier or conveyer belt willpreferably have two parallel chains constructed in this manner andconnected by retaining devices, such as r, for holding the bivalves inplace on the conveyors. These retaining or holding devices may berigidly secured to the chains,

IOO

as clearly shown in Fig. 4, and will be disposed at suitable intervalsalong the conveyers, each holding device being usually a plate of properform secured to the chains of the conveyer and embodying flat surfaces1' and extensions F", slightly curved forwardly, and in which thebivalve may ind lodgment and be securely held during the sawingoperation. Said plate is coated with rubber or other flexible substance,as rc.

For the purpose of holding the bivalves in place during treatment, Ihave shown atp and p' a pair of presser-rolls, which are peripherallycoated with rubber or other exible material. These may be held in placeby half-bearings, such as 36, at the ends of arms, such as 37, pivotedto uprights 38, rising from the table 5, said arms being spring-pressed,as shown at 39, in order to hold these presserrollsfirmlyagainstthebivalves,orthe weights, as p", may be sufficiently heavyto obviate the use of the springs.

To keep the parts clean during the operation of clipping the bivalves, Idrip water on the rolls P and I1* by means of a water-tank T, having thefaucets t'.

In order to clear away the sawed portions of the bivalves, I prefer tolocate between the saws s and s a clearing device or stripper c, havinga hooked end, which will engage the small sawed portions of the shellsand prevent the carrying forward thereof by the conveyers, this clearingdevice being secured to the saw-shaft 20, whereby during the operationof the machine it continuously revolves with the saws, the severed partsof the shells being thrown against a chute q and discharged. This chuteis removed from Fig. 2 of the drawings in order not to obscure theworking parts of the machine.

In operating the machine the treadle t is operated (or the band-wheel 8rotated) and power transmitted to the saws s and s through thesprocket-chain 1S, and at the same time the conveyers B and B are causedto travel across the table 5 from the right to the left, as seen in Fig.1, by means of the `gearing before described. An attendant at thereceiving end of the table 5 then places the bivalves or oysters on theroller-chains of the two conveyers B and B', one bivalve being placed infront of each holding device r on each conveyer as said holding devicesreach the receiving end of the table. These bivalves are carried forwardby the conveyers until they reach the presser-rolls p and p', whichpress the bivalves rmly against the holding devices 0^, located upon theconveyers, and the inner end of each bivalve is cut off by the saws sand s and immediately cleared away by the clearing device c, locatedbetween said saws. The pressure of the rolls 1J and p is not su ficient,however,

to prevent the treated bivalves from being carried forward by theholding devices r, and after the cutting operation each pair of bivalvesis carried toward the delivery end of the table and maybe removed byanother attendant or discharged into a suitable receptacle.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a machine of the class specified, the combination, with an endlessconveyer and means for operating the same, of a revolnble cuttingdevice, a revolnble clearing device and means for revolving the saidclearing and cutting devices, both turning on the same axis, wherebythey coact with the conveyer, the cutting device adapted to cut away aportion of the shell of a bivalve carried by the conveyer,. and theclearing device adapted to clip and throw o the cut portion of theshell, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a machine of the class specified, the combination, with an endlessconveyer having holding devices projectingtherefrom,each holding deviceshaped for retaining a bivalve and having a flexible lining, and lmeansfor operating said conveyer, of a revolnble cutting device and arevolnble clearing device, both turning on the same axis, and means forrevolving them, the cutting device and clearing device coacting with theconveyer, the cutting device adapted to cut away a portion of the shellof a bivalve carried by the con-A veyer, and the clearing device adaptedto clip and clear away the cut portion of shell, substantially as shownand described.

3. In a machine of the class specified, the combination, with an endlessconveyer having holding devices projecting therefrom,eacl1 holdingdevice shaped for retaining a bivalve and having a flexible lining, andmeans for operating the same, and a flexible presserroller mounted onthe frame for holding a bivalve in place on said conveyer while saidbivalve is being clipped, of a revolnble cutting device and a revolnbleclearing device, both turning on the same axis, and means for revolvingthem, the cutting device and clearing device coacting with the conveyer,the cutting device adapted to cut away a portion of the shell of abivalve carried by the conveyer, and the clearing device adapted to clipand clear away the cut portion, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention Ihave signed myname, in presence of two witnesses, this 3d day of June, 1901.-

EDWARD DUDLEY JOHNSTON.

Witnesses:

BELLE PATERsoN, SOPHIA IIARNIsoH.

IIC

